Sudan accused of new air strikes in Darfur

Just in case you thought that things are getting better in Sudan, think again.

President Omar al-Bashir's Khartoum government is still inflicting violence in the troubled Darfur region, according to the United Nations. The U.N. charges that Sudan carried out an air strike on Sukamir village in the troubled western Darfur region. And it is the second air attack in the regionin three days, says the U.N. 

A team of peacekeepers is trying to enter Sukamir to assess the damage, according to the U.N. The U.N. has suspended flights to several regions of Darfur, citing restrictions the Bashir government has imposed on the movement of aid workers because of security.

The U.N. has accused pro-government Arab militias of a campaign of ethnic cleansing against non-Arabs in Darfur. It says as many as 300,000 people have died, although the Khartoum government contests this.

Ibrahim Gambari, the head of the U.N. mission in Darfur (Unamid), expressed concern over the air strikes. "I call upon all parties to exercise the utmost restraint in the use of lethal force," he said, according to the BBC.

Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity relating to the conflict in the western Darfur. He has dismissed the allegations.

Darfur is not the only part of Sudan with troubles. South Sudan is due to become independent from the Khartoum government in July after a referendum in February. The vote followed years of conflict and there are still outbreaks of violent conflicts.